Celebrex is a hugely profitable prescription medication from Pfizer, aimed at relieving arthritis pain and other types of inflammation. Millions of people have taken it, and Pfizer makes upwards of $2 billion a year on the drug.

But despite all the good the drug has done, it has also caused many problems. It has been linked with heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, and other cardiovascular trauma, and even a handful of deaths. Many people are beginning to discover that the drug they thought was a miracle cure comes at a heavy price. Mild side effects like nausea, dizziness, or drowsiness are one thing, but having a heart attack or a stroke as the result of taking the drug is something else entirely.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) organized committees in 2005 to examine Celebrex and similar drugs to see whether they needed stronger warnings, better research, or if they just needed to be taken off the market altogether. Certain other similar drugs, including Vioxx and Bextra, were taken off the market. Only Celebrex remains, and its future is far from certain.

The fact is that all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) create some risk for damage to the cardiovascular system. This is even true of aspirin and ibuprofen. But Celebrex seems, to many scientists, to be excessively risky. In fact, in February 2007, the American Heart Association declared that Celebrex should be prescribed only as an absolute last resort to patients with existing heart disease or who were already at risk for heart disease.

If you had a heart attack or stroke while taking Celebrex, or even after you stopped taking it, you should consult with an attorney at once to see what your legal options are. Your attorney will know what the latest news is on lawsuits against the makers of Celebrex, and he or she can help you determine your best course of action.

If a close family member was the Celebrex user, and he or she died of a heart attack or stroke, it is even more imperative that you contact an attorney. There may be class-action lawsuits from victims’ families that you can join, or it may be preferable to file a suit of your own. The courts are extremely sympathetic to people who have lost family members due to large, faceless corporations’ carelessness, and the pharmaceutical companies are being especially scrutinized in this regard.

There is a certain amount of trust involved in taking prescription drugs. The patient should be able to trust that any major side effects are clearly indicated beforehand, and that there are no significant surprises later. Drug companies have an obligation to test and research their products thoroughly before releasing them to the public.

It is possible you took Celebrex and never had a heart attack or stroke, but that you are now at greater risk for those problems. Damage to your cardiovascular system may not be obvious to you. You should have your doctor do a careful examination of you to see if any long-term damage has been done that you are not aware of. The drug may have weakened your heart or made you more susceptible to heart disease, heart attack, or stroke. Those are serious risks, and if you were healthy before taking Celebrex and are now in danger of a stroke or heart attack, the legal system may find that Celebrex owes you money for damages.